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Hey everyone. I don't really do competitive much but I have in the past and I have plenty of experience (including 5th gen).

Lately I have been thinking a lot about how I can use my favorite Pokemon in OU. Yes, I know that is always a mistake in competitive battling, but I want to anyway. However, my favorite pokemon is.. Castform. Yes, Castform. No competitive use at all.

I have been trying to think of some strategies. Now I know that Castform is not the ideal pokemon to use, and it might lose many matches, but I don't care. I am just looking for an interesting strategy.

I have been thinking of using a team of auto-weather paired with Castform and two others.

Any advice on this would be appreciated. I understand that this whole team is a crazy idea, but I just wanted to throw it out there

The glaring problem that I see with this strategy is that Castform is easily OHKO'd. Once Castform is out, you're left with a menagerie of mis-matched Pokemon that don't work well together. Additionally, every time that you want to use a super-effective attack with Weather Ball, in a double-battle, you're going to have to switch out Castform's partner for something else. Every. Single. Time you want to change Weather Ball's type. In a single-battle, this would be suicide because your Pokemon are just going to be taking hits without returning them. What this team does is rely on Castform, which will fail in almost all situations. Instead, I suggest that you use Castform as some sort of gimmicky support, so your team doesn't fall apart when Castform faints.

I don't know what to tell you about using Castform. His stats are so poor that he'll almost always hit second in OU, and he doesn't have the defensive capabilities to take that first hit. What you may need to do is get a Reflect/Light Screener, such as Latias, and send that Pokemon out first with a weather-inducing Pokemon, such as Ninetales. Have Latias set up Reflect and Light Screen, and then switch it out for Castform. That way Castform has some chance of staying alive. Have the rest of the team function with the one weather that you choose. So if you use Ninetales, have a DW Venusaur or other Pokemon that's good in the sun. I wouldn't do what you're suggesting and rely on constantly changing the weather just to change Weather Ball's typing, because Castform won't survive long enough to do that. Choose one weather and go with it. Changing the weather constantly will just hurt your team.

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The glaring problem that I see with this strategy is that Castform is easily OHKO'd. Once Castform is out, you're left with a menagerie of mis-matched Pokemon that don't work well together. Additionally, every time that you want to use a super-effective attack with Weather Ball, in a double-battle, you're going to have to switch out Castform's partner for something else. Every. Single. Time you want to change Weather Ball's type. In a single-battle, this would be suicide because your Pokemon are just going to be taking hits without returning them. What this team does is rely on Castform, which will fail in almost all situations. Instead, I suggest that you use Castform as some sort of gimmicky support, so your team doesn't fall apart when Castform faints.

I don't know what to tell you about using Castform. His stats are so poor that he'll almost always hit second in OU, and he doesn't have the defensive capabilities to take that first hit. What you may need to do is get a Reflect/Light Screener, such as Latias, and send that Pokemon out first with a weather-inducing Pokemon, such as Ninetales. Have Latias set up Reflect and Light Screen, and then switch it out for Castform. That way Castform has some chance of staying alive. Have the rest of the team function with the one weather that you choose. So if you use Ninetales, have a DW Venusaur or other Pokemon that's good in the sun. I wouldn't do what you're suggesting and rely on constantly changing the weather just to change Weather Ball's typing, because Castform won't survive long enough to do that. Choose one weather and go with it. Changing the weather constantly will just hurt your team.

Thanks for the advice Yeah, it would be a crazy strategy. I think for now I will just move on and give up on the multi-weather idea.

What do you think is a better hidden power on keldeo? I was considering running a LO set with hydro pump/sacred sword/ icy wind and hp ghost/electric. Hp ghost would hit celebi, latis and jellicent harder but I would get pseudo boltbeam with hp electric. If im running hp ghost would it be better to run a cm set with leftovers?

I have a pokemon that has 0-1 for his Special Attack IV. How much of a difference in stats is that compared to if he had 31 in Special Attack. Ironically my pokemon is modest. Do you think Modest nature could help make up for that? The rest of his IV's are solid.

I have a pokemon that has 0-1 for his Special Attack IV. How much of a difference in stats is that compared to if he had 31 in Special Attack. Ironically my pokemon is modest. Do you think Modest nature could help make up for that? The rest of his IV's are solid.

I believe that one IV is equal to one stat point at level 100. So if you have a Pokemon with 0 IVs in Special Attack, its final Special Attack stat at level 100 will be 31 points lower than it would be if you had 31 IVs in Special Attack.

I believe that one IV is equal to one stat point at level 100. So if you have a Pokemon with 0 IVs in Special Attack, its final Special Attack stat at level 100 will be 31 points lower than it would be if you had 31 IVs in Special Attack.

Which is why IVs aren't as significant as EVs or nature. If you can get above typically 20 in every important stat, you're usually fine. A flat out zero is a little harsh, so I'd try for something better unless it is like, flawless in every other stat, but aside from Speed, IVs aren't really a huge deal compared to some other stuff.

Which is why IVs aren't as significant as EVs or nature. If you can get above typically 20 in every important stat, you're usually fine. A flat out zero is a little harsh, so I'd try for something better unless it is like, flawless in every other stat, but aside from Speed, IVs aren't really a huge deal compared to some other stuff.

It's a Shiny Modest Squirtle. That's why I want to make it work despite the 0-1 for Sp.Attack. Ironically it has a 31 for attack. The rest are above 25 so I think it will work just fine. Blastoise is mainly for rapid spin support anyway.

generally, a timid nature is best. for sweepers, speed is always best, unless you need that extra boost to score a ohko, 2hko, etc. generally, speed>power. without timid, i think you always lose to base 100s and above, but id have to check speed tiers

Looking for Vivillionof the world. Legendaries too!
I don't calculate stat values, I don't use cheating devices, I don't breed my way to perfect ivs, and I don't care about natures. I catch my Pokemon the way they are and treat them like individuals instead of drones. So I herd u leik teh mudkipz
I have a group of Mudkips and Shinx looking for a good home. Pm me with offers. May just give them away for a Patrat

Check out Dragon-Tamer club..had to remove it because sig was too big. (Mod: As was having the water club)
Credit to Savanny
CREDIT TO CYRIUS[Need someone to train your pokemon or breed for one ? I will do it.

Usually a balance team would be a good start for a beginner to competitive battling. It's a balance (hence the name) of offensive power and defensive switching. Technically the traditional format (from my experience. don't quote me on it) is a two-pokemon Defensive core, a offensive core, A revenge killer, and a something, usually utility (stuff that sets hazards, status, etc)

it all depends. start off with a style you want to do. generally, there are 3 basic styles, with little sub-sections in between.

do you fancy a short, fast-paced battle where its set-up, then hit, hit, hit until your dead, then repeat? a hyper offense team is your best bet.

fancy a long, grueling battle where you torment the hell out of your opponent? try stall.

want something in between? give balanced a hand. most teams use this.

from there, many things you can base a team around. weather, a pokemon's set, or a common core, like Scrotom cores.

some good cores for reference:

Scrotom- scizor + rotom-w

Gyarajolt- Gyarados + Jolteon

Amoongbro(+tran)- Amoongus + Slowbro( + Heatran)

Ferrocent- Jellicent + Ferrothorn

Celetran- Celebi + Heatran

just to name a few.

I'm going to go with the balanced team...thanks. I'll get into hyper offensive, etc. later. Good Pokemon to use as a stealth rock lead?

Check out Dragon-Tamer club..had to remove it because sig was too big. (Mod: As was having the water club)
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CREDIT TO CYRIUS[Need someone to train your pokemon or breed for one ? I will do it.

there are many out there. ferrothorn/forretress rank up there as number one. mamoswine makes a decent one too, with the added benefit of massive attack. landorus-t is also a good one, being a harder hitting gliscor, with intimidate.it all depends on what benefits the team the most, but never, never ever, use a hazard layer as a base core. a set-up pokemon is generally best. some good ones include:

there are many out there. ferrothorn/forretress rank up there as number one. mamoswine makes a decent one too, with the added benefit of massive attack. landorus-t is also a good one, being a harder hitting gliscor, with intimidate.it all depends on what benefits the team the most, but never, never ever, use a hazard layer as a base core. a set-up pokemon is generally best. some good ones include:

gyarados
salamence
dragonite
etc etc

basically, something that can 6-0 a team, but needs support to do so.

What's a hazard layer? And a base core?

Check out Dragon-Tamer club..had to remove it because sig was too big. (Mod: As was having the water club)
Credit to Savanny
CREDIT TO CYRIUS[Need someone to train your pokemon or breed for one ? I will do it.

A hazard layer is a layer that effects the opponent when they send out there pokemon. here is an example if you use toxic spikes the opponent when he comes out becomes poisoned.

OK...I get that...but what's a layer?

Check out Dragon-Tamer club..had to remove it because sig was too big. (Mod: As was having the water club)
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a base core- generally the main, central organism of a team. a good team will have many symbiotic relationships between the pokemon, but a base core is your main focal point, the "keystone", so to speak.

a base core- generally the main, central organism of a team. a good team will have many symbiotic relationships between the pokemon, but a base core is your main focal point, the "keystone", so to speak.

So make sure a team has a lot of symbiotic relationships? As in no two Pokemon being weak to one type?

Check out Dragon-Tamer club..had to remove it because sig was too big. (Mod: As was having the water club)
Credit to Savanny
CREDIT TO CYRIUS[Need someone to train your pokemon or breed for one ? I will do it.